Joanna
"You're... in love with me?" Joanna nearly whispered.
Toshinori sighed. "That's it."
Joanna didn't realize she was holding her breath. She exhaled and took a few seconds to focus on her breathing.
"Toshi, I don't know what to say."
"I just want to know if you feel the same way."
Joanna squeezed her eyes shut. Am I in love? I definitely like him, a lot... but can I honestly say I'm in love with him?
"Well, I guess I do have similar feelings." She managed to squeak out after a minute of silence.
"Similar feelings?" Toshinori sighed. "So you're not even sure if you love me?"
"Well.." Joanna paused. Choose your next words carefully Joanna. You don't want to hurt him. "I definitely have feelings for you Toshi." She spoke slowly. "But with this time difference and the ocean between us, it makes a relationship kind of impossible, don't you think?"
"Hey, we can make it work. It's the same as being long distance friends, only now we can be long distance... uh.. what would I call it, lovers? That doesn't seem right.." Toshinori chuckled.
Joanna giggled. He's so cute. But.. I can't do this.
"This routine we have? Constantly talking on the phone and all that? That's easy to maintain. But what happens, Toshinori, when we start to build up these feelings even higher and we begin to crave a physical relationship?" Joanna sat down after realizing she'd been pacing back and forth across her kitchen. "I don't know that I want either of us to suffer like that."
"Jojo, you're a really strong girl. I got that sense during our first week of friendship. If anyone can do this, you can do it too." Toshinori stated.
"Toshi I just don't know if I can do it." Joanna teared up. "I've honestly never felt this way before. I just.." She stopped and let a few tears fall. Get it together, girl. "I just wish you were here."
She heard Toshinori sigh. There was silence for a little bit longer and then he spoke.
"Please Joanna? Give it a shot. I'll be the best boyfriend you'll ever have in your life."
"I don't doubt that, Toshinori." She smiled softly.
"I'll do everything that I can to make you happy." Toshinori said, sounding slightly pumped up.
Joanna didn't say anything.
"Okay, why don't you think about it for a while, and then get back to me? Take your time, I'll be patient." Toshinori sighed.
Joanna nodded. "Okay Toshi. I will."
"Okay Jojo. I'm gonna go to sleep, if I can manage to stop thinking about you anyway."
"Okay, goodnight and sweet dreams." She smiled, then hung up without waiting for him to reply. She put down her phone and then burst into tears.
"I can't do this." She sobbed, covering her face with both hands, her body trembling and weak.
I am in love with him after all...
But I can't take the thought of being this far away from him anymore.
What do I do?
After what seemed like hours passed by, she washed her face and crashed onto the couch face first and grabbed her phone, opening up the All Might folder in her photos app. Inside where hundreds of pictures of the pro hero, in different poses and costumes, and even in civilian clothing.
All Might always makes me smile when I'm down. Joanna smiled and scrolled through her pictures, laughing at some of the more goofy pictures, and staring in admiration at the inspiring ones.
"I'd like to meet him someday." She whispered. "I'd ask him for advice, I'm sure he'd say something helpful. Then again, I bet All Might doesn't do online dating." She chuckled. That would be interesting. Imagine talking to All Might online. I bet he'd be super charming and sweet, and really funny.
Joanna sat up and rubbed her eyes, looking at the clock. It's only 2pm on this lazy Sunday.
What the hell am I going to tell Toshinori?
Toshinori
Toshinori stretched his arms out and yawned. Looking at the clock next to his bed, he sighed.
Wow, I slept for 7 hours this time. That's pretty good!
He sat up and searched for his phone. Finding it, he unlocked it and checked his messages to see if Joanna had given him an answer.
Indeed she had. A long one too.
Brace yourself Toshi. He thought, taking a gulp of water from the bottle next to his bed.
Jojobear: Hey Toshi. I've been thinking really long and hard about this, so I want you to really pay attention to my words. As much as I know you'd love to try out a relationship with me, and as much as I like you, I just don't think it's going to work out. The distance is just too far, and the time difference isn't really a good thing either. We both agreed to be friends the day we met, and I really wanted to keep it that way. You're one of the greatest people I've ever known, you always made me smile and cheered me up. But this time, you made me sad. You made me long for something I can never reach. You made me realize how much I really care about you, and it hurts now because it really makes me think about how we're probably never going to meet up in real life. So I think it's just best that maybe we split up, because every single time I talk to you now, it's going to hurt me even more. And I don't even know what this must be doing to you, because you're the one who's been thinking about me like that first. I'm sorry Toshinori, but my heart is too sore to continue this friendship. It was so nice talking with you, being your friend and sometimes nearly dying of laughter with you. Take care of yourself, okay? Goodbye ❤️
Toshinori dropped his phone. He stared at the phone for a really long time, before picking it up and checking to see if what he was dreading was true.
Toshi46: Jojo?
This person isn't receiving messages right now.
Toshinori squeezed his eyes shut. She blocked me. No, it can't be like this. All I wanted was for her to love me back and accept me as her boyfriend, I didn't want her to completely leave me. Tears began to fall onto his clean bed sheets. He sobbed quietly for a while, curling up into his covers, his frail body shaking in sadness and anger, hurt and confusion, but most importantly, loss.
Loss of the greatest girl he'd ever met.
YOU ARE READING
The Ocean Between Us
FanfictionJoanna Valentino meets a man online named Toshinori Yagi, but she has no earthly idea that he is her favourite pro hero, All Might. I know I left this story alone for a few years, but don't worry! I'm currently working on new chapters! Please contin...